


Tasting Emotions, Hearing Colors

by itsjaehan



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Road Trip, Angst, Aromantic Asexual Pidge | Katie Holt, Bad Puns, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), But probably not the one you think, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Guitarist Keith, Hurt/Comfort, I Don't Even Know, I'm Bad At Tagging, Insecure Lance (Voltron), Keith Has Anxiety Issues, M/M, Matt/Shiro/Allura if you squint, Multi, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, Synesthesia, also, i guess, tags will be updated as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-10-22 23:32:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10707441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsjaehan/pseuds/itsjaehan
Summary: (Alternatively: Red Shirt, Blue Jeans, Purple Skies)Summer.Keith wants to take a break from everything. Lance is homesick. Just two strangers, different objectives, driving on the same road at the wrong (right?) place at the wrong (RIGHT???) time. And just when you think extreme opposites are only bound to crash and burn, life decides to prove that in some cases, opposites tend to merge and complete each other.Also to prove everyone else wrong - Keith and Lance most of all. But mostly Keith.AKA the slow burn, road trip AU no one asked for but secretly needs (admit it). Oh and did I mention slow burn? Consider yourself warned.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: 
> 
> I dont live in the US and I know jackshit about motorbikes so please excuse any inaccuracies. Also this fic will mostly be un-beta'd cause I don't have one. If you want to offer help or found something I did wrong, feel free to point it out! 
> 
> Thank yoooouuuu~

 

* * *

  _I just wanna be alone_  
_No, I don't care 'bout what you think_  
_I'm going home_ _  
_ _Yeah, I'll stick with hell no's and headphones_

**-Hell No's and Headphones; Hailee Steinfield**

* * *

 

 ****Everything was a blur – just like he preferred it.

Keith had been looking forward to this break for weeks. Despite how much he liked to talk about space and whatnot, his patience was wearing thin. And it wasn't as if he had a lot of it in the first place. He was so close to his breaking point that he all but ran out of his room at daybreak on the first day of his summer break. And this was despite of the fact that he really had nowhere to go, no set destination. He didn't want to bother Shiro by showing up at his doorstep – he had other matters to attend to, his own life, his own academics. But Keith _had_ to leave. Go somewhere. Anywhere other than _there_.

He just wanted out. To feel less suffocated. To feel the free wind whip his hair into his face. To get away from the stale air of the university he was in. It had gotten to the point that not even the comfort of his own dorm room could provide him that. And so when he woke up that day, he grabbed his already packed bag – he had packed it the night before, and in fact would've left that night if not for Shiro – and practically ran out of his door.

It was Keith's second day on the road. He found that roadside motels were either going to be hell or heaven for him. It's almost like winning a lottery, or trying your luck at a scratch card. You never know whether you hit the jackpot or not until it's too late – in this case, when you already checked in. But he couldn't be choosy. When you're on the road for more than ten hours, the idea of a bed was too tempting to ignore. On his second day, he still had no destination. He had long left New York, Brooklyn far behind him, and he was pretty sure he crossed over to Jersey a few miles back. Well, that didn't matter to him. The further he could bring himself away from his university, the better he felt.

He lost count of the hours come the second day. It was probably late in the afternoon, if his grumbling stomach was any indication. He should find a fast food joint soon. Shiro would probably tell him off if he found out that Keith was planning to live on fast food while he was on the road. But Keith only had a few dollars on him and he wasn't going to waste them on some pretentious food in some restaurant. In the end, food is just food and his goal was to feel full and to provide himself enough energy until his next meal. Besides, Shiro didn't need to know. Keith had refused Shiro sending him money to help with his finances during his spontaneous decision to go on the road. Shiro had helped enough and besides, Keith had been saving for this since the start of the semester.

Yes, he had been wanting to get away for a while now. At the very least, he had enough to last him a trip back to university, even if he had no set destination, he had a rough idea of how far he was willing to go. Impulsive he may be, but he wasn't stupid.

70 mph. That was how fast he was going. And yes, he was going at the speed limit.

See the thing here, Keith was a speed demon. If he could go fast, he would go fast. While he did not make Red from scrap, he modified her enough for him to know her limits. Hell, he knew her like the palm of his hand. Red was his masterpiece. And so when the first telltales of trouble started, Keith did not miss it. It was like a hiccup – it came out of nowhere, and it made Keith feel apprehensive. Red never faltered. She never disappointed Keith. She rode fast and smooth. Keith was confident with Red, and he made sure to give her a check up before he went on this trip so—

There it was again. The unwelcome hiccup.

Keith slowed down just a bit, getting a feel as well as to locate where the problem was coming from. Also, just in case there was something wrong, he didn't want to make it worse by pushing it. And he really _didn't_ want anything to get worse – not when he's on a road where people scarcely pass through. He had branched away from the main road a few miles back, enjoying the drive in solitude, but now it seemed like a problem waiting to happen. He couldn't afford it – in more ways than one.

Luck wasn't on his side.

Keith stopped on the roadside with the intent to check Red out, but before he could come to a complete stop, Red decided to stop on her own with a violent jerk before the engine died fully. Keith frowned, worry obvious on his face as he moved off his motorbike and knelt beside her, checking out the usual suspects. The brake, the clutch, his wheels – these he checked first in hopes to find the problem there, if only because those were the easier ones to fix – and perhaps the less costly. But the more that he found nothing, the more his anxiety spiked, an annoying rusty metal taste creeping into his mouth. He moved on to the engine, slowly, muttering to himself, hoping that the engine was not the problem. He knew inside that it wasn't the engine, he checked it before he left – it couldn't have been that. So what? Keith cursed to himself as he scratched at the back of his head in frustration, resuming his check up as dread slowly built up inside him.

This can't be happening to him now.

“Hey.”

He left university for the sole purpose of getting away from everything – mostly stressful things – and this just decided to—

“Hey!”

Keith startled, yanking the earphones out of his ears as a voice broke through his thoughts. He looked around and his eyes fell on a male around his age (if he had to guess), tan skin, brown hair, and too bright eyes. Oh did he mention that they were a _striking_ blue? It was probably the sun. Whatever.

“What?” Did he sound too annoyed? Hostile? He didn't know, and at this point, he didn't really care. He had other pressing matters to attend to. And he swore if this man bothered him to ask directions he was going to—

A hand was waving in front of his face. Keith scrunched his face in annoyance (he didn't bother hiding it now) and repeated himself. “ _What?_ ”

“Oh there you go, for a moment there I thought you were deaf or something. But then again seeing as you had your earphones on—”

Well, he was extremely chatty for Keith at this point. He was about to ignore the other male and return to checking out what was wrong with his bike when the other male crouched beside him, eyes fixed on Red's engine.

“Bike trouble?”

“You think?” Oh, Bright eyes was _annoying_. “Thanks for pointing out the obvious, I had no idea.”

“Okay, whoa – chill. Calm down, mullet. I just thought I'd stop to check and see what's wrong. Thought to see if I could help.”

 _Mullet?_ Did he honestly just call him _mullet_? How many times can one get annoyed by a person in a span of three minutes? A lot it seemed. “Okay, listen here—” Wait. Did he say help?

Keith paused and raised a brow at the other male, assessing him, hackles lowering - figuratively. “What do you know about bikes?”

The other male's lips curled in what Keith could only describe as a smug grin as he jabbed at his puffed chest with a thumb. “What do _I_ know? Buddy, I'd have you know that I know all there is to know with engines. Cars, trucks, bikes – they all function the same way. Learned from my dad – who is like, the best mechanic there is—”

A chatterbox. Just his luck. Of all the people who could help him, it was this guy. But despite those words, Keith was still skeptical of the other male. Besides, it wasn't as if he's already found the origin of the problem on his bike. For all he know, it was probably just a minor fix – maybe he would've found out by now if not for this guy showing up. But if not— He really didn't want to take a chance and hand Red off to some stranger (she was his baby okay?) but at the same time, maybe a second opinion wasn't a bad idea, especially since he was running out of time and and he didn't have a lot of options here.

Keith sighed and cut the other male off. “Okay, I'll let you take a look at her—“ Keith paused, caught off guard by the way the other male's eyes brightened. But still he shook his head and raised a hand as if to stop the other from expecting too much freedom with Red. “— _only_ to get a second opinion.”

“Alright, alright—”

Keith stood from where he was kneeling and moved around. He switched positions with the other male and leaning against Red, arms crossed, watching as the other took his previous position. The other male squatted beside Red, near her engine, and for a few moments, was quiet as he inspected her, murmuring to himself. It only took Keith a few minutes before he decided he was done with the murmurings.

Hey, he's impatient, he admitted it to himself a long time ago.

“So? How is she?”

“She?”

“Yes, I named her Red.”

“Aha—”

“What?”

“I named my pick up Blue.”

It was only then that Keith noticed the pick up not parked too far away from them. Of course. Why was he surprised to find that the other male had a vehicle of his own? Of course he had one, it's not like someone just suddenly appeared out of nowhere right? His eyes moved back to the pick up that was the current topic of their apparent conversation (if it can be even called that—) and noticed that, yes indeed, the pick up was blue.

“I can see that.”

“Hey now, you can't call me out for naming my pick up Blue when you named your bike Red.”

A slight tangy taste that usually accompanied his embarrassment spread on his tongue and he knew that his cheeks were tainted red at that exact moment. Keith shook his head and guided the conversation back to his bike. “Well?”

“You grind hard don'tcha?”

“Excuse me, what?”

The other male laughed that made Keith see blue. His face must've shown the confusion he felt because the stranger shook his head and made a slight gesture towards his engine – specifically his transmission.

“Your gears are worn out. Let me guess, fast rider?”

Keith nodded and pulled away from where he leaned against his bike and crouched beside the other male, checking his gearbox. Indeed, his gears _did_ look worn out. How could he have missed it? _He just hasn't reached that part before_ _Bright_ _eyes came, that's it._ Or at least that was what he convinced himself happened. He cringed inwardly at the implications of having his gearbox ruined. They weren't good. He took good care not to show any of these thoughts in his face as he turned to Bright eyes for an opinion. His words were careful, not trying to imply that he valued the other's thoughts _too_ much in the matter.

“So— what do you think?”

“I think these need replacement, buddy. Until then I don't think you'd be able to even get her to run and in the slim chance you did, and I wouldn't suggest it, it's going to be dangerous, both for you and your bike. And you don't strike me as a person who would force your bike to run if it meant ruining it.”

 _Shit_. He was right. But replacing his transmission— Keith groaned out loud this time, dragging a gloved hand down his face as the other male kept on going, throwing out facts that Keith knew to be true.

“I can help.”

Keith paused mid-drag of his hand down his face, taking said hand away from his face and turning his attention to the other male. “What?”

“I can help. I've helped my dad replace bike transmissions before. It's not hard but.. well.”

“Just spit it out.”

“I mean, it's _expensive_ , replacing gearboxes, especially one like yours.”

There it was. Keith wanted to bang his head against _something_ , maybe the road. But of course he was a sane person so he chose not to go with his impulse. Instead, he dragged his hand down his face again, frustration welling up further inside him. Great. He came all this way to catch a break and life decided to shit down on him and shower him with big, fat lemons. Fuck lemonade.

“Unless— tell me, is this custom made?”

“Yes,” Keith managed to say through his frustration, “made it myself.” He couldn't even get himself to feel proud of that fact right now.

A whistle. “Damn. It's made with high quality. But it's a good thing though.”

“Good thing?”

“Yeah. If your gearboxes were like one of those that came with the bike, it would be more expensive to buy the whole thing for replacement. But custom ones like these would be _sliiiightly_ cheaper to replace because as long as you have the right stuff, you can easily fix and replace it and have it run like new.”

What Bright eyes said did make sense to Keith. However, seeing they were stuck by the roadside, Keith doesn't know how that would help. He didn't think there would be any nearby auto shops, so unless the other male had the materials with him, he didn't see how that information would help his situation any. As it stands, he's not going anywhere without that replacement.

“I'll replace it for you!”

“ _What?_ ”

“I'm sure I have some spare parts hanging around to get you running again.”

Keith watched as the other male stood up, an action that he made as well not long after. He was sure confusion was obvious on his face because Bright eyes continued.

“I'd do it for free too!”

“Why would you do that?”

“Would it be hard to believe if I said I'm impressed by your bike? It's really well made and I'd be glad to work on it, if you let me, of course. Which, of course, I strongly suggest you do because I could totally help you save a lot on this.”

Yes, it was hard to believe. But Keith couldn't really voice out his thoughts as the moment as he just went blank when he heard the other's response, that and he was pretty sure his mouth hung open in disbelief. Okay, so maybe Bright eyes wasn't so bad after all?

The other male grinned. “Name's Lance by the way.”

“Keith,” he managed to croak out. “So— so you're telling me you'll help fix Red and replace her gearbox for free?”

“Yep, pretty much. Nice meeting you too, Keith.”

Keith was pretty sure Lance's grin widened. But he was still too busy trying to wrap his head around all this information as well as the proposition that was suddenly presented at him.

“Surely you'd want something in return. I mean, you did say it's expensive, custom or not.”

Lance almost looked sheepish. “Yeah well, maybe?”

Oh god, it was going to be some weird request. It had to be.

“Well you see, I don't really make a habit of bringing parts with me wherever I go,” Lance continued. “I mean, I have _tools_ but not spare parts.”

“Uh huh..?”

“We'd have to bring Red to my home.”

Keith's eyes traveled from Lance, to Red, then to Lance's pick up. _Oh._ _Okay, that seemed reasonable._ “So where exactly is home?”

“Florida.”

“Excuse me, _what?!”_

He took his words back. This was not reasonable at all. Keith knew it was all too good to be true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scream at me on twitter: @itsjaehann (I also do art and commissions)  
> Also if you like my writing, you can donate me a cuppa over here: https://ko-fi.com/A131L30


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance is convincing and Keith is realizing the situation maybe isn't as bad as he thought.  
> And they get to know each other a little bit.

 

* * *

 _I don't know where you're going but_  
_d_ _o you got room for one more troubled soul?_  
_I don't know where I'm going but  
__I_ _don't think I'm coming home._  

**-Alone Together; Fall Out Boy**

* * *

 

 ****“So where exactly is home?”

“Florida.”

“Excuse me, _what?!_ ” Keith's eyes widened in surprise, exasparation obvious in his face. This was not a pleasant surprise. “In case you failed to notice, Florida is on the opposite end of the country!”

Lance was easy to raise his hands up in surrender, wincing a bit. “I know, I know— but come on, it's a good deal. You get to have someone with you during your roadtrip and get Red fixed for free! And hey, if you don't count the states we need to go through to get to Florida, it wouldn't sound as far.” It was a glaringly weak argument. Lance had to have known that.

“Please tell me why would I suffer through days of driving across the country with a stranger when I'm sure there's a place a few hours away where I can get Red fixed and go on my merry way?”

“Because I can fix her up for you for free!”

“The trip there wont be!”

“The expense you would have to spend to fix Red versus tagging along with me would be significantly cheaper. Come on! Is travelling with me so bad? It'll be fun, I promise!”

Yes, Keith considered and weighed the difference of going with Lance all the way to where he lived to get Red fixed versus just dropping him off an auto shop, and he couldnt ignore the fact that going with Lance and have her fixed by him would be extremely cheaper if he did have the spare parts he needed. But to go all the way to Florida?Keith dragged his hand down his face in consternation as he decided. But the problem was that he was already decided to go with Lance. The advantages weighed much more than the disadvantages. But the problem was that Keith was not a people person and he could already see himself having issues being stuck with someone who was practically a stranger. There was a metallic taste in his mouth that made him want to throw up.

“Come on Mullet, how bad could it be?”

“Can you like, stop calling me mullet? You already know my name.”

Keith groaned once more, Lance was smiling like he just won something, and he felt as if that didn't bode well for him.

“Okay, _Keith_. But seriously, you should just come with me. I swear I'll behave!”

Keith side-eyed Lance suspiciously. He had a look of being impulsive – and his current actions obviously proved that to be true. “Why cant you just drop me at the nearest auto shop then we can both go on our own merry way?”

“Because that's boring.”

“Lance—”

“Do you have somewhere to be?”

“Well no but—”

Lance face actually turned serious, almost concerned. “Do you have like, $500 to spare to fix Red? Maybe more?”

That question made Keith halt. Yes, he had that amount of money but if he had to spend it to fix Red, he will be sorely lacking money to continue the road trip that he was already on – meaning he would have to go home when he's barely out of his home state, defeating the purpose of his entire decision to leave and get out. Keith looked over to Lance as he tried to decide – all while knowing that the choice here was already made for him. He had to go with Lance and hope for the best – meaning hope that he did know what he was doing and that he wasn't handing Red over to some amateur who's just talking big. Despite that however, he had good reason to believe that Lance was speaking the truth. He knew Red better than anyone and what Lance said did make sense. It was his fault for forgetting to check the gears in the first place.

If he went with Lance to Florida (yes, Florida) he would be saving a lot of money just by getting Red fixed. Besides he would be there to keep a watchful eye Lance work on her. At this point, objectively, the pros outweighed the cons. But to go all the way to Florida? He knew he was going on a road trip with no set destination but he didn't even consider going that far. Keith glanced at Lance who was looking at him expectantly.

What was he supposed to say?

“Okay fine.” Lance brightened up positively, which made Keith scoff.

“Alright! Awesome. Let's haul her up, wait here.”

Keith watched as Lance ran over to his pick up – _Blue_ , he reminded himself – and drive her closer to Red and him. Lance then jumped off his pick up and dusted his hands on his jeans – a gesture that told him he was ready and he found himself nodding.

With Lance's help, Keith hauled Red carefully to the back of Lance's pick up carefully, pushing her over to the end before hopping off and going over to Lance with a, “now what?”

Keith watched as Lance followed suit and hopped off his pick up as well, dusting his hands together. “Now we go on a road trip to Florida!”

He parted his lips to complain and emphasize the fact that they're not going to a road trip but only to get Red fixed when the words died on his tongue, thanks to Lance cutting him off. “No! No, I know. We're not going on a road trip but _technically_ you said so yourself, you don't really had any set destination so might as well enjoy the ride to Florida right? You know, see, experience the sights.”

Lance was grinning but Keith found himself scowling. Lance probably was one of those people who wouldn't take no for an answer, not because he was going to force anyone but it was just his personality that Keith found hard to say no to. Or maybe he was just that weak – no, he preferred the latter reason. Right, Lance just made it hard to say no, so instead he just sighed.

Lance apparently took that as a yes and jumped into his seat in his pick up, opening the door for Keith from the inside. “Well? What are you waiting for? Come on, mullet!”

“I have a _name_ you know.” Keith said in exasperation but followed in anyway, slipping into the back seat.

“Yeah, yeah okay _Keith._ I mean if you want me to say your name that badly.”

Keith parted his lips for a retort but instead bit his tongue and sulked into his seat, arms crossed over his chest. Just his luck. Apparently Lance was also the kind of person who was hard to win a vocal argument with. So instead of prolonging it, he just stayed silent and looked out his window as Lance started up his pick up and drove off.

 

It wasn't until a few minutes into the drive that Keith picked up the fact that a song was playing on the radio. It was soft enough not to intrude into his thoughts but now that he noticed it, it was hard to ignore it. It had a nice and easy beat that was hard not to follow, not to mention it sounded really upbeat. Also the fact that the song was in Spanish and that Lance was humming along it, lips parting and closing as he sang to it in silence. While Keith thought that was thoughtful of him not to blast the music, it only got him curious.

“Spanish?”

“Oh?” Lance stopped his silent singing and threw Keith a glance before returning his eyes on the road, a smirk on his lips. “Yeah, I hope it doesn't bother you.”

“No, but it got me curious.”

“Huh. Well, better than getting annoyed.”

“Why would I be annoyed by Spanish songs?”

“You'd be surprised.”

Keith shrugged, “it sounds like a good song. Nice beat.”

“The title roughly translates to _What I Feel for You_. It's a nice song.”

“Huh, I see.”

“You don't mind? I can change the song.”

“No it's fine.”

Keith watched as Lance's expression turned apprehensive to relieved because of his answer, but he decided not to press. Lance returned to singing silently along the song, lips forming the words that didn't leave his mouth while his fingers tapped along on the steering wheel.

For as talkative as he seemed in the beginning, Keith appreciated the comfortable silence that fell between them as he drove. However, eventually, Lance did break the silence.

“You sure you don't want me to change the song?”

Keith shook his head with a small smirk. “The one who controls the wheel controls the music, right?”

Lance laughed loudly – a bright burst of color that almost blinded Keith. “That's an old saying and I'm surprised you're still following it.”

Keith just shrugged. “Well, it's not like I have any song preference at the moment.”

Keith could feel eyes on him so he glance over and sure enough, Lance was staring at him. “Come on, you gotta have some preference. I'll play it no problem.”

Keith sighed, rubbing the back of his neck some. “My music preference varies really, depends on the mood.”

“Well, what kinda mood are you in now?”

“Alternative? I don't know.” Keith shrugged – which made Lance laugh again.

“You're not the talkative type, are you?”

Keith turned to Lance then. Yes, he wasn't really the talkative type which was something he was fine with. His friend just managed to get used to him, get used to his cues which mostly replaced any form of talking from him. But Lance was a new person, he didn't know, more so understand Keith's cues when he didn't say anything. All these made Keith sigh. “No, not really.”

Lance seemed to respect this and let the topic fall, something which Keith appreciated. They were strangers after all – what much is there to talk about anyway? This got him thinking about the rest of the trip. Florida was a long ways away, and surely at some point, they would at least stop being strangers to each other to being acquaintances. Or even friends if Keith wanted to go there. Technically, he only had a few people that he considered as friends. This would depend on Lance and whatever happens within their trip. But Keith supposed he could initiate some conversation. He liked the silence, but only if its comfortable. He couldn't imagine their silence being comfortable for long.

“So what does the song say?” Keith found himself asking.

There was a hint of surprise in Lance's face at the question, as well as his eyes when he glanced over to Keith, a small smile tugging on his lips as he returned his attention to the road. “Well, it's mostly some sort of a confession song. It tells about how the singer is in love with this person and has been wanting to tell them that fact,” he paused, “I like it.”

“Sounds like a good song.”

“It is.”

The conversation was light and easy for Keith, which surprised him because he assumed that Lance would be the talkative type. And while he was indeed, in ways, talkative, Lance never brought out the heavy questions that made Keith mostly avoid conversing with other people. Perhaps the ride wouldn't be so bad after all.

“So what's got you stuck on the road? You already said you really don't have a destination.”

Keith was the one to be surprised this time. The conversation had been flowing smoothly that he found that he actually didn't mind the question. Besides, what's so bad about actually answering it? So he did.

“I just wanted a break, you know.”

“From?”

He shrugged, “everything, I guess. Driving gets my mind off things.”

“Ah yes, that I understand. I do that too.”

“What about you? What got you on the same road as someone who just unfortunately broke down by the side of the road?”

Lance laughed, bringing that tinkling laughter that brought back lights to Keith's vision. “Same as you, I guess. Only I have a destination in mind.”

“Florida?”

“Yeah, gonna go visit the family.”

“You're a long way away from family then.”

“Yeah, I go to uni in New York.”

“Same.”

“Oh really? Maybe we go to the same one. Imagine that.”

Keith only chuckled. That would indeed be amusing if they were indeed in the same university but never crossed paths, but then again, that was highly possible. University was big after all.

“I'm taking up Psychology.”

Keith glanced at Lance for a moment before looking outside again. Psychology? That was interesting to Keith for some reason. Lance didn't seem like the kind of person who'd take up something like that. But he supposed the guy had surprises up his sleeves. He answered his own. “I'm taking astrophysics. My step-brother is taking it too. It seemed interesting to me.”

“Well, interest is always important in choosing a career right?”

“Right.”

They fell into an easy silence once more. Keith focused his attention to the passing scene outside his window. It was somehow different from when he rode Red, but feeling the wind on his face had always been a calming thing for him. He found that his current situation isn't as bad as he thought. And the company too.

Maybe, just maybe – with the background of Spanish songs – this wasn't such a disaster after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if the chapter seemed boring. I was going through a block. But I swear we'll get to more interesting stuff soon!  
> The song Lance was singing to was Lo Que Siento Por Ti by Miranda!  
> Still no beta. As usual, scream at me on twitter: @itsjaehann  
> If you like my writing, you can donate me a cuppa over here: https://ko-fi.com/A131L30


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They stop to watch the sunset. Totally not gay.
> 
> Also surprise! It's a Lance POV chapter. While this would mostly be Keith-centric fic, I'll put in Lance's side of the story from time to time. Also kinda short. Oops.

 

 

* * *

  _I wanna see you dance, I wanna be your rhythm_  
_I want you to show me your favorite places.  
_ _Baby, take it slow so we can last long._

**-Despacito; Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee**

* * *

 

 

He liked driving along the coast line, liked seeing the sea by his side whenever he drives. The sights have been consistent for a while at least until he spotted a parked motorbike at the side of the road, including its (presumably) rider who seemed to be having a hard time. Lance assumed that the bike encountered some trouble along the road – there was really no other reason to have stopped where the biker did unless it was to appreciate the sights which was obviously not the case, so therefore, Lance found himself parking not too far from the biker to approach him and see if he can help.

“Hey.”

No response. Mullet-biker guy seemed too focused on his bike. He came closer and tried again.

“Hey!”

“What?”

Now that got him a response. Good, mullet-guy wasn't deaf. Well, he didn't expect him to be with those earphones on. “Need help?”

His question was left hanging when he didn't get any response. Sighing, he lifted a hand and waved it in front of the other male to capture his attention once more. He was about to say hello when he got another _“what?”_ which sounded very annoyed to him. Wow, mullet-head had some short patience huh? He shrugged it off, he could give him that seeing his current situation.

“Oh there you go, for a moment there I thought you were deaf or something. But then again seeing as you had your earphones on, I figured you needed a louder call to get your attention. Anyway, bike trouble?” He asked as he came closer to inspect the vehicle, crouching down beside it to give it a closer look.

“You think?”

Okay, so Mullet has a short patience as well as low tolerance to being asked questions, also a sharp tongue and a handful of sarcasm. But he supposed he deserved that seeing as it _was_ obvious that he was having bike troubles – why did he even ask?

“Okay, whoa – chill. Calm down, mullet.”

Lance was getting ready for a rant when it seemed that his offer finally sunk into Mullet boy. Lance grinned then, especially with the question that the other male threw at him. What did he know about bikes indeed. He puffed his chest out proudly and answered him.

“What do I know? Buddy, I'd have you know that I know all there is to know with engines. Cars, trucks, bikes – they all function the same way. Learned from my dad – who is like, the best mechanic there is. He's like, the go-to person of most people in Florida when their stuff breaks down. And let me tell you, there's a lot, and he has patrons too! He lets me watch at first, but as of late he's been letting me join in and help so I learn hands-on—”

“Okay I'll let you take a look at her.”

Lance did a small fist pump of success and scooted closer to the bike, watching the other male stand and lean against the bike before he and looked into it, fingers gently, carefully, running against its body as he inspected her. Most of what he saw were the normal indications of wear but even then it looked well taken care of, making him wonder as to why the bike broke down. And then he came across the bike's gearbox and found the problem, which _was_ quite the problem.

“So? How is she?”

She? Oh right, he did refer to the bike as “her” earlier. How cute.

“I named her Red.”

Lance couldn't help but let out a quick laugh, sharing the fact that he named his own pick up Blue, a fact that he shared with Mullet guy. Anyway, to answer his question, Lance leaned back, dusting his hands on his jeans before looking up at the other male. “You grind hard don'tcha?”

Mullet guy's reaction got Lance laughing before he cleared what he meant. He knew the answer despite the question. The bike's current state told him what he needed to know. The problem now was how to fix it. He was more than willing to help Mullet guy fix it, knowing how problematic it would be to have a transmission break down on you – especially when you're on the road, which Mullet guy obviously was.

After a small discussion with Mullet guy, Lance found himself blurting out that he'd help him replace it – and for free too – before he can stop himself. Mullet guy, whose name was Keith as he found, seemed just as surprised – and asked the obvious question. Why would he?

Finding no reason as to his impulsive offer, he just said that he wanted a companion for the road – which Keith seemed to accept. While his reasoning wasn't really a lie, it wasn't the real reason as to why he was so willing to help. The real reason though, even Lance didn't know. An impulse? Perhaps. He just felt like he _needed_ to help Keith out.

And then he dropped the bomb of telling Keith their destination. His reaction was completely appropriate. Lance winced inwardly at Keith's reaction of him revealing the fact that fixing Red needed them to go all the way to Florida, which, from the state they currently were, was at the opposite end of the country.

Lance was quick to respond back to keep Keith convinced to come with him, it was a good thing that Keith had no specific destination in mind, something that Lance was quick to point out, also the fact that it would be cheaper for Keith if he just went with him. In the end, Lance was glad that Keith relented.

The start of their drive were awkwardly silent so he decided to turn his player on, forgetting that his phone was connected to it and was playing mostly Spanish songs. He waited for Keith to react to it and react he did – a reaction that surprised Lance. He had assumed that Keith was going to say something or ask him to change the song but all he did was express slight interest in the song – which pleased Lance. Keith turned out to be a surprising person in the end. After all, who would just hand over their “baby” to a stranger and go on a road trip with on a whim? It made Lance curious about the other male, who was, unfortunately, a self admitted non-talkative person.

That was something he ought to change (whether he's aware of it or not) since he was, by nature, a talkative person, especially since they have a long drive ahead of them.

Lance followed his current path down the road, beside the coast, the sun about to set. He wondered if Keith would mind if—

“Hey, do you mind stopping for a few moments?”

“Stop? Why?”

“I want to see the sunset.”

What Lance got was a raise of a brow. He watched as Keith opened his mouth then close them again as if to gather his thoughts. In the end, he got the other's approval to stop. Lance answered with a grin and parked his pick up and urged Keith to join him. Keith seemed hesitant to go with at first, though in the end, he joined the other anyway.

“Do you do this often?”

“Taking strangers in or stopping to watch the sunset?”

Lance chuckled and turned to Keith after he replied with a question to the other's question. That seemed to catch Keith off guard.

“Both, I guess?”

“No, I don't often take strangers – though I have a habit of helping those who I see. But those were minor fixes, unlike yours. And as for the sunset, yes. In fact, that's why I choose to drive by the coast even though it's the longer way around.”

His answer seemed to satisfy Keith as he fell into silence, looking forward to the view before them.

“How about you? Do you break down often on the side of the road and go on road trips with strangers?” Lance returned the question, though he had an idea about Keith's answer for the first question. After looking at Red earlier, it was easy to see that she was well taken care of. He imagined Keith didn't get problems like this often.

“No for both, this is a first for me.”

“Hah, I'm flattered. Sorry about your bike though. No worries, we'll get her running in no time as soon as we get home.”

“Mhm.”

“You really don't talk much, do you?”

“I get that a lot.”

“I can imagine.”

“You talk a lot.”

Lance had to laugh at how casual Keith said that, a phrase that someone else might take offense to. Luckily for Keith, Lance didn't, and instead found himself amused. “I get that a lot too.”

Their conversation ended there as both males found themselves a breathtaking view of the sun finally setting over the sea. Lance smiled as he took in the scene then decided to glance to his side towards Keith to see his reaction. However, there wasn't much to read in the other's face. His expression stayed neutral as he watched the sun set, so there was not much to go on with. But he found himself hoping that he admired the view just as he did, after all, it was hard not to. Sunsets were a beautiful thing to witness – it was just a fact.

As the sun finally disappeared from the horizon, Lance turned on his heel, hands in his pockets. “Shall we?”

All he got was a nod and that was fine. He wasn't going to force the other male to talk much if he was not inclined to. He already agreed to Lance's outlandish offer to go on a road trip all the way to Florida, he owed Keith his space at least.

They made their way back to Lance's truck in silence with Lance sliding into the driver's seat and Keith into the passenger's seat. In comfortable silence, Lance revved the engine awake and drove off as the sky above them darkened, stars starting to dot the sky several at a time.

Night was setting in.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, unbeta'd. Scream at me on twitter: @itsjaehann (I also do art and commissions)  
> Also if you like my writing, you can donate me a cuppa over here: https://ko-fi.com/A131L30


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They take a small break. Keith has come to accept his current situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im sorry for taking so long. I've been in a slump lately. I hope this is enough for now. There's more to look forward to in the future, I promise!

 

* * *

  _You got a fast car_  
_I want a ticket to anywhere_  
_Maybe we make a deal_ _  
_ _Maybe together we can get somewhere_  

**-Jonas Blue, Dakota**

* * *

 

 ****It didnt take long for night to set in, stars blinking in the sky with every second. Their drive has mostly been silent, though that was probably because of him not having any idea to talk about to Lance. Thankfully, as much as Lance seemed talkative, he mostly left Keith alone with his thoughts. Instead he hummed and sang along with each song that played, fingers tapping against the wheel. Surprisingly, he could hold his tune quite well so Keith had no issues with him singing, in fact he appreciated it since it killed the dead silence that would otherwise fall between them – and he knew that would be awkward if it happened.

The wind that hit his face still smelled like the sea and he could see from a distance the reflective image of the moon. Did Lance intend to drive through the night? Keith glanced over to Lance curiously.

“Are we going to stop somewhere for the night?”

Lance seemed surprised by the question as it was showing in his eyes as he glanced at Keith for a moment before returning his attention to the road. “We can. But I thought you'd want to get there as soon as possible and I'm no stranger to driving at night, in fact I like driving at night, see the lights, you know.”

“Isn't it dangerous?"

“Nah, I know these roads. But we can stop somewhere if you'd like.”

Keith fell silent for a moment, not having a reply for Lance. He actually appreciated Lance's effort to bring them home as soon as he could to the point of driving through the night. He was cut off from his thoughts when Lance spoke again.

“So? Do you want to stop somewhere?”

“I don't mind either. But we could switch if you want? You've been driving a while.”

“Hand Blue over? Nah, you gotta get to level five friendship first to drive my baby.”

Keith couldn't help but roll his eyes at that, but he understood Lance's reasons. He was hesitant to hand Red over too. He probably would react the same way if asked if someone can drive Red.

“Just saying, if you're tired we can rest.”

“And I'm saying that I'm fine. Chill out, mullet.”

“Won't you stop calling me mullet?”

The way Keith said it was so frustrated that it made Lance smirk. Nevertheless, he said nothing else and focused on the road, letting silence fall between them—at least for a while, until Lance spoke. No surprise there.

“So, where were you headed really? You can't possibly be just on the road with no destination.”

Keith shrugged. “Nowhere really.”

“You do that often? Just get on your ride and drive off?”

“Yes.”

Keith glanced at the male beside him after hearing him chuckle, giving him a confused, “what?”

“So you're in for the ride and not the destination, huh?”

“Kind of.”

“I kind of get that.”

Keith glanced over to Lance and found him smiling. He wondered for a moment about what was amusing him but stayed quiet. Instead, he rested his elbow on the window, letting the wind ruffle his hair. It's different from when he was driving Red but he liked it just as much. He could taste the ocean on his tongue, Lance choosing to drive by the coast, and if he tried hard enough, he could almost hear the waves crashing on the shore and he found himself dozing off.

“You can sleep if you want.”

Keith turned to Lance, “Oh, I'm fine.”

Lance chuckled, “I can see you dozing off, you know?”

Keith fell silent but Lance continued.

“Anyway, we'll be stopping for gas soon. If you want to stretch out or something, I mean.”

Keith nodded at that, keeping his silence—there wasn't much to say there anyway.

As promised, Lance pulled up at the nearest gas station and turned off the engine, leaving his seat which prompted Keith to exit as well. He checked on Red for a moment as Lance filled up the tank. He wondered where he would be at this point if Red didn't break down and led him to meet Lance. He had no answer to that. Sighing, he made his way to the convenience store at the gas station to get him and Lance a cup of coffee, as well as paying for the gas – it was as much as he could do at the moment.

He met Lance on his way out of the store, presumably to pay for the gas so he stopped him there, handing him his cup of coffee.

“Here. Also I paid for the gas so don't worry about it.”

“You what? Aw, man, you didn't have to.”

“It's fine, you're servicing Red after all.”

Keith watched as Lance rubbed the back of his neck as he took the cup of coffee in his hand, following Keith back outside.

“You must have a lot on you to afford gas and these.” He motioned at his coffee. “But don't think I'll always have you paying for gas.”

“I said it's fine. I have enough.”

“Still, thanks.”

“It's nothing.”

For a few moments, the two stood by Lance's pick up with their coffee, though Keith was mostly staring at his rather than drinking it – something Lance apparently noticed as he pointed it out, catching Keith by surprise.

“Something wrong with your coffee?”

Keith shook his head. “No, it's fine.”

“Then you should drink it before it gets cold.”

“Ah, yeah.” Keith looked down at his cup and took a sip, letting out a sigh after.

“So you're really a guy of few words huh?”

That made Keith chuckle. “Not something I haven't heard before.”

That was true enough. It's no secret to the people who knew Keith that he was a man of few words. Meanwhile, Lance proved enough that he likes to talk, and if the road was as long as Keith imagined it to be, it might end up hard on his part. Hopefully, Lance didn't mind. So far, he has given him silence by not trying to talk to Keith. But Keith knew that patience would run out eventually. Maybe already, even.

Silence was something Keith liked. Conversations drained him. So he stood there with his focus on his cup instead on the male beside him, whose eyes still seemed bright despite the time of day. _Tastes like the ocean._

“I have four siblings.”

Keith seemed to break from his thought when Lance's voice broke through them. “What?”

“Im youngest. I have an older sister and an older brother, then there's the twins who isnt much older than me.”

“Oh. Must be nice.”

“Yeah it is, most of the time. The twins tend to be troublemakers.” Lance laughed lightly at that.

Keith fell silent again, unsure on what to say.

“You're really not talkative are you?”

“Not really.”

Family isn't really a topic Keith liked discussing so he had nothing to contribute to that. Instead, he just took another sip of his coffee, eyes looking forward but not really focusing on anything. To Lance's credit, he did stay silent after that, letting the silence fall around them just like the night did.

The next sound that came from Lance was him crushing his now-empty cup of coffee, tossing it over to the nearest trashcan. He turned to Keith with a smile.

“Ready to hit the road again?”

Keith nodded and followed suit, crushing his own cup and tossing it to the trash just like Lance did before climbing back into the passenger seat of the truck, following Lance. They then drove out of the gas station in silence.

Keith allowed himself to admire the scenery. Driving along the coast was nice, it's a wonder he never really took note of it before. He understood Lance's preference of driving along the coast then. Now that he was in the passenger seat, he had more than enough time to appreciate the view that he only used to pass by before. It was calming, of some sort. He could hear the faint splash of the waves against the shore, and soon enough he found himself dozing off.

“You can sleep if you want.”

Lance's voice broke through his thoughts and Keith shook his head as if to dismiss his sleepiness. “I'm fine.”

“You look exhausted, man. Don't worry, we're still a long ways away. Rest if you need it.”

“You need rest too.”

“Nah man, I'm used to long drives like this, besides I like driving at night. Much more peaceful.”

Keith understood what he meant. And seeing that there was nothing else for him to do, he leaned back on his seat and turned towards the window, letting the scenery fly by while the songs playing from the radio dulled in the background. Maybe Lance turned the volume down for his sake, not that he was complaining. He was grateful even, despite the songs that now played were now in english and in a slightly lower volume. He appreciated the other's attempts in being considerate but before he could voice them out, he found himself dozing again.

He could still smell salt water in the air and the rush of the ocean against the shore which slowly lulled him to sleep. Usually he would stay awake but usually that was because he had the rush of being on Red, adrenaline running through his veins. Not this time though. This time he could feel the exhaustion dawning in, all the stress that was the reason of him running away on Red. He sighed. It was probably not good for him to dwell on such matters if he wanted some rest, but it wasn't easy to just blank out his thoughts. Instead, he focused on the lyrics of the song playing on the radio until he felt himself relax.

He really wished he was on Red instead on this truck. Not that he had any issues with the truck, he could still feel the wind against his face, mess with his hair – it was a different experience than when he was driving Red. Though he couldn't complain now really, after Red broke down on him and he should be grateful to Lance for taking him in, so he just sighed and tried to be content in sitting in the passenger seat. If there's anything, at least he was now able to take the scenery that they pass by better than if he was on Red.

“Have I said thank you yet?”

Lance raised his brow, glancing over to Keith before glancing back at the road in front of them. “I think?”

“Well thank you anyway, for helping me.”

“No problem buddy. Though you might want to thank me later when we get your Red fixed.”

Keith chuckled at that, that made sense. He closed his eyes then, allowing himself a few minutes of sleep.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scream at me on twitter: @itsjaehann  
> If you like my writing, you can donate me a cuppa over here: https://ko-fi.com/A131L30


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance likes singing and they share a meal.

It was easy to figure out when Keith fell asleep, his breathing evening out. Lance smiled to himself. He must be tired after what happened that day so he didn't mind that he'd fallen asleep on him. He lowered the volume of his music as he drove on. He had the coffee to thank for being awake, and really, he didn't mind driving at night. It was much more peaceful than during the day after all.

From time to time, he glanced at his passenger beside him, taking in small details about him. He had fair skin, long lashes, a pointed nose and lush lips. Whoa— okay, that was kind of gay, but hey, harmless thoughts right? He looked peaceful sleeping and he didn't want to ruin it. He's pretty cute, he thought to himself, despite the mullet that he wore which for some ungodly reason seemed to fit him and his image just fine. Just a pretty boy on a bike. Now that was an image he wanted to see, if he needed any more encouragement to help him fix his bike, not that he needed it. After all, he decided to help before he realized how cute he was. It was kind of a bonus at this point.

Lance drove on, careful with the bumps in the road since he didn't want to wake up Keith and was quite successful at it seeing as the other male kept on sleeping. He had to wonder how tired the other male was – or stressed – to sleep through the night on a stranger's pick up truck but he wasn't complaining. He just continued to drive by the coast, enjoying the smell of the sea that went through his open windows. He enjoyed it for as long as he could, knowing they'd be leaving this road soon when he has to transfer to the main road.

Now turning to the main road made it easier for Lance to drive, there weren't much vehicles on the road at this time of the day, not to mention the roads were smoother to drive on. For hours, Lance drove, even though occasionally he did rub the sleep from his eyes, but that was a small thing. It was near dawn when he felt movement beside him, indicating that Keith had woken up, groaning.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty.”

“Hey. Where are we?”

“Just nearly outside the state. Sleep good?”

Keith sat up properly, rubbing the sleep of his eyes and did as much as he could to stretch in his space. “Good enough. Have you been driving this whole time?”

“Yep.”

“Don't you need rest?”

“Nah, I'm good.”

The conversation ended there with Keith slightly scowling but whatever response he had for Lance he kept to himself.

Keith, as expected, fell into silence which Lance has no problems with. The silence between them was okay, almost comfortable if he was going there, but the point is he didn't mind Keith's silence, already establishing the fact that Keith didn't like to talk much.

The sun eventually rose on them, a beam of light from the horizon. Lance yawned unceremoniously but only shook his head as if to shake away the exhaustion that was creeping up on him. This, however, was not lost on Keith.

“You're tired, we should stop somewhere.”

Lance had a thought to argue back but exhaustion won. “Yeah, maybe get some breakfast. I don't mind a break.”

Keith seemed to be satisfied with his response since he leaned back against his seat without anything else to say.

That being said, Lance's next target was to find a place to eat, thankfully, there were many to choose from now that they were on the main road. McDonalds was literally everywhere at this point and Lance wasn't too picky, and hopefully Keith wasn't too, since he decided to pull up into one. Thank heavens they functioned 24 hours here.

Lance killed the engine and stepped out of his truck, Keith following suit.

“McDonalds?”

“Yeah, why not?”

Keith shrugged, “well it's as good as any.”

In the end they both got pancakes and some large fries, which seemed to satisfy Lance enough. And he _ate_. Keith ate slower, but Lance seemed almost too excited to eat his breakfast. _Breakfast is the best meal of the day!_ Or so he said.

It didn't take long for them to finish eating, now enjoying their coffee to start a new day, something which Keith seemed to be doubting Lance on.

“Are you fine with that?”

“Fine with what?”

“Taking a break with just breakfast then returning to the road.”

“Yeah, no problem! I do it all the time. I have coffee in my veins.”

“I don't think that's a good thing.”

Probably not, Lance knows it, and he knows he shouldn't push it but for now he was fine. He'll rest when he gets tired.

As soon as they were done – including ordering another large fries for the road – they returned to Lance's pick up and resumed the drive, though not before Keith checking out Red on the back of the truck.

It was honestly nothing short of amazing that a short break like that could give Lance enough fuel to get behind the wheel again as if he didn't drive the whole night previously. But he did anyway, with no less energy than he did the previous day, meanwhile Keith seemed ready to doze off again despite the coffee. He didn't though. Not with the sun behind his eyes.

They shared the fries they took with them when they left, and even that ran out quickly. But Lance still showed no signs of exhaustion, often singing or humming along with the songs that played in his radio.

Keith realized that Lance wasn't bad at singing at all. Even when he did it quietly, between the two of them, it was easy to hear, and he found that Lance's singing wasn't grating on his ears. He leaned his elbow against the window, face resting on his hand as he enjoyed the wind in his face, whipping his hair about as he listened to Lance sing in Spanish. He didn't know the words, but it sounded nice, he supposed.

Keith also found out that Lance also had some english songs in his playlist, some he recognized. But all of them shared one thing in common. They all had a beat that was easy to get caught up in, and in the short time he's known Lance, his song choices were fitting. Certainly not what he would pick if he was driving but it wasn't bad. So he couldn't complain.

Keith also couldn't help but notice a guitar in the back seat along with what seemed like a bundle of cloth, perhaps Lance's belongings.

“You play the guitar?”

Lance raised a brow in surprise at Keith's question, not expecting it at all. “Yeah a bit. I never truly learned. I know some chords, play a few songs, but that's it. It's my brother's actually.”

“Huh.”

“Want me to play you a song?” Lance grinned, eyebrows waggling.

“No thanks.” Keith responded, snorting.

“Aw hey, give me a chance buddy. I might end up playing something good.”

Keith just found himself chuckling and turning his attention back on the road before them, with Lance doing the same.

 

There is only a certain amount of times where one can listen to the same songs by the same singers and not be ragged by it. Keith didnt know how Lance did it but he was certainly done listening to Shakira and Lady Gaga on repeat – not including the spanish ones that played in between.

He tried not to complain about it, he really did, after all he was literally just hitchhiking on Lance's truck but Keith never had that much patience to begin with.

“Don't you have other songs other than this?”

“What? What's wrong with it?”

“Nothing it's just—“

“Oh no, no you don't. Don't go hating on Shakira _or_ Lady Gaga.”

“I'm not!”

“Yes you are, I can see it in your eyes. I'm judging.”

“Why are you judging me?! I'm judging you!”

“Ah ha!”

Unfortunately for Keith, pointing out Lance's song choices only ended up with him increasing the volume to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance while singing along.

Lance couldn't help but laugh at Keith's face as he sang, cutting off his singing. “You're starting to look constipated.”

“Well blame it on your songs and your singing.”

“Come on, my singing can't be _that_ bad.”

In actuality, Lance's singing was alright, it's just his song choices that got Keith disapproving of it. Not that he was going to say anything about it. Lance's voice was blue to him, and him singing just made that blue brighter, making colors swirl before his eyes. It was honestly beautiful, in a way.

“It's bad enough.”

“ _Caught in a bad romance?_ ” Lance snickered.

“You're horrible.”

“No I'm not!”

“Yes you are.”

“Well you are horrible! You probably listen to stuff like, I dunno, Mayday Parade or My Chemical Romance or Panic! At the disco or something!”

“I am admitting to nothing.”

“Ah!” Lance pointed over to him to which Keith snorted, telling him to keep his eyes on the road, which Lance eventually did, with a small smirk on his lips which made Keith wonder what was on his mind.

“Linkin Park?”

“No, Lance.”

“I call lies, mullet.”

Keith merely scoffed, not answering anymore. He can decide what he wants – though, to be honest, some of the bands he mentioned, he did listen to. But he wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he's right.

Thankfully, Lance dropped the subject, but the song choices remained utterly in his control, which made Keith sigh. It was a mix of new pop songs and old classics and some spanish ones, and he could count in his fingers the ones he actually knows the lyrics to.

 

It was lunchtime when they made a stop at a restaurant called Rosie's Burgers and Steak.

Keith was glad for the stop, at least for a few moments, he'll be away from the songs from Lance's playlist and his singing. Any more and he would have found the blue more beautiful than it already is.

They entered the establishment and were seated not long after. They were both thankful for the space to stretch their legs after a drive. It wasn't long after until a waitress came by to take their order.

“Are you ready for your orders?"

Lance was the first one to respond. “Ah yeah, cheeseburger and fries, and a bottle of coke.”

He turned to Keith then, who seemed undecided yet but he ordered nevertheless. “I'll uh, have the same, except the coke. I'm good with just water.”

The waitress nodded, repeated their orders and left them to wait.

Lance stretched while waiting, meaning both hands and feet, meaning his legs were crossing over to Keith's face to which Keith reacted by kicking him lightly under the table, to which Lance raised a brow at.

“You're in my space.”

“Let me stretch, my legs are tired from all the driving.”

“I offered to drive but you won't let me.”

“Yeah, and then we'll be listening to My Chemical Romance's The Black Parade and the likes.”

Keith scowled and kicked him again, making Lance snicker, though he did pull his legs back to his space.

“You never grew out of your emo phase have you?”

“Oh shut up.”

Lance laughed lightly and shook his head. “Don't worry, your secret's safe with me.”

Keith raised a brow. “What secret?”

Lance never did answer especially since their food came and Lance was all too happy to focus his full attention on his meal. Keith did the same though in a pace slower than Lance. He was honestly amazed at how fast Lance ate his.

“Do you always eat like that?”

Lance looked up, confused. “Like what?”

“Like you're always in a hurry.”

Lance wiped his lips and chuckled. “Ah, sorry. It's a habit.”

Keith raised a brow. “A habit?”

“Yeah, back at home the last one eating is the one who washes the dishes.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah seriously.”

Keith chuckled at that and continued eating at his pace while Lance finished up. Unfortunately for Keith, that meant Lance watched him eat which made him conscious.

“Why are you staring?”

“Oh nothing, you just make me curious.”

He took a bite out of his burger and chewed, eyebrows pinched. “Curious about what?”

“You don't talk much about yourself.”

“There's not much to say.”

Lance opened his mouth to say something but closed it again, deciding against it. Keith noticed it but said nothing else, instead focusing on finishing his meal. Whatever it was Lance was thinking of saying, Keith was glad he didn't continue the thought, he wasn't ready to expose much of himself, especially since they just met to fix his bike, he wasn't looking for a friendship or anything like that. The less he reveals about himself, the better.

Once they were both done Lance called for the bill and shared it with Keith, something the other male didn't mind, he didn't expect Lance to pay for both of them after all. And once that was over and done with, they were back on the road once again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you noticed, Im changing my format for each chapter. The following chapters will be more or less like this one from this point on.
> 
> As usual, scream at me on twitter: @itsjaehann (I also do art and commissions)  
> Also if you like my writing, you can donate me a cuppa over here: https://ko-fi.com/A131L30


End file.
